authority it will be farther necessary to find some propriety of dominion, by which he may be said to be peculiarly our Lord. It is true, he made us, and not we ourselves, we are the work of his hands; but the lowest of his creatures can speak as much. We are still preserved by his power, and as he made us, so doth he maintain us; but at the same time he feedeth the ravens and clotheth the lilies of the field. Wherefore beside his original right of creation, and his continued right of preservation, we shall find a more peculiar right of redemption, belonging properly to the sons of men. And in this redemption, though a single word, we shall find a double1 title to a most just dominion, one of conquest, another of purchase. We were first servants of the enemy of God; for him we Rom. vi. 16. obeyed, and his servants we are to whom we obey: when Christ through death destroyed him that had the power of Heb. ii. 14. 1 For the right understanding of this double title involved in the word redemption, it will be necessary to take notice of the ways by which human dominion is acquired, and servitude introduced. 'Servi aut nascuntur, aut fiunt,' saith the Civilian, Justinian, l.i. tit. 3. but in Theology we say more, 'Servi et nascuntur, et fiunt.' Man is born the servant of God his Maker, man is made the servant of his Redeemer. Two ways in general they observed by which they came to serve, who were not born slaves: 'Fiunt aut jure gentium, id est, captivitate; aut jure civili, cum liber homo major viginti annis ad pretium participandum sese venundari passus est.' Two ways then also there were by which dominion over those servants was acquired, by conquest or by purchase, and both these were always accounted just. Dionysius Halicarnasseus, an excellent historian, a curious observer of the Roman customs, and an exact judge of their actions, being a Grecian, justifieth the right which the masters in Rome claimed over their servants upon these two grounds: 'ErúYXAVOV δὴ τοῖς ̔Ρωμαίοις αἱ τῶν θεραπόντων κτήσεις κατὰ τοὺς δικαιοτάτους γινόμε ναι τρόπους. ἢ γὰρ ὠνησάμενοι παρὰ τοῦ δημοσίου τοὺς ὑπὸ δόρυ πωλουμένους ἐκ τῶν λαφύρων, ἢ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ συγχωρήσαντος ἅμα ταῖς ἄλλαις ὠφελεί αις καὶ δορυαλώτους τοῖς λαβοῦσιν ἔχειν, ἢ πριάμενοι παρ' ἑτέρων, κατὰ τοὺς αὐτ τοὺς τρόπους κυρίων γενομένων ἐκέκτηντο TOùs douλous. Hist. 1. iv. c. 24. Where it is also farther to be observed, that the same persons were made slaves by conquest, and possessed by purchase; by conquest to the city of Rome, by purchase to the Roman citizen. The general first took and saved them, and so made them his, that is, reduced them to the will and power of the state from which he received his commission, and in whose name and for whose interest he fought. This state exposed their interest to sale, and so whatever right had been gained by the conquering sword, was devolved on the Roman citizen for a certain sum of money paid to the state to defray the charges of that war. Thus every lord or master of a slave so taken had full power over him, and possession of him, by right of purchase, unto which he was first made liable by conquest. And though not exactly in that manner, yet by that double right, is Christ become our Lord, and we his servants. death, that is, the devil, and delivered us; he spoiled prin- Beside, he hath not only bought us, but provideth for us; comes our Lord by right of promotion. 13, 19. Lastly, men were not anciently sold always by others, but sometimes by themselves; and whosoever of us truly believe in Christ, have given up our names unto him. In our baptismal vow we bind ourselves unto his service, that henceforth we Rom. vi. 6, will not serve sin; but yield ourselves unto God, as those that 155 are alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness unto God: that, as we have yielded our members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so we should yield our members servants to righteousness unto holiness. And thus the same dominion is acknowledged by compact, and confirmed by covenant; and so Christ becomes our Lord by right of obligation. The necessity of believing and professing our faith in this part of the Article appeareth, first, in the discovery of our condition; for by this we know that we are not our own, neither our persons nor our actions. Know ye not (saith St Paul) 1 Cor. vi. 19, that ye are not your own? for ye are bought with a price. And ancient servitude, to which the Scriptures relate, put the servants wholly in the possession' of their master; so that 1 Δοῦλος κτημά τι ἔμψυχον, καὶ ὥσπερ ὄργανον πρὸ ὀργάνων πᾶς ὁ ὑπηpérns. Aristot. Pol. 1. i. c. 4. § 2. Tó τε γὰρ σῶμά ἐστιν ὄργανον σύμφυτον, καὶ τοῦ δεσπότου ὁ δοῦλος ὥσπερ μόριον 20. their persons were as properly his as the rest of his goods. And if we be so in respect of Christ, then may we not live to ourselves, but to him; for in this the difference of service and freedom doth properly consist1: we cannot do our own wills2, but the will of him whose we are. Christ took upon him the form of a servant; and to give us a proper and perfect example Jolin vi. 38. of that condition, he telleth us, I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. First, therefore, we must conclude with the apostle, reflecting upon Rom. xiv. 7, Christ's dominion and our obligation, that none of us liveth to 8. 2 Cor. x. 5. himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. Secondly, The same is necessary both to enforce, and invite us to obedience; to enforce us, as he is the Lord, to invite us, as Christ the Lord. If we acknowledge ourselves to be his servants, we must bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. He which therefore died, and rose, and revived, that he might become the Lord both of the dead and living, maketh not that death and resurrection efficacious to any but such as by their service acknowledge that Heb. v. 8, 2. dominion which he purchased. He, though he were a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; and expressly : Τίς μὲν οὖν ἡ φύσις τοῦ δού for the use of his master, that he is nothing else but a living tool or instrument; insomuch, (says he, ibid.) that if all tools were like those of Dædalus, or the tripods of Vulcan, which the poets feigned to move of themselves, artificers would need no under-workmen, nor masters ser vants. 1 So Aristotle Ethic. Nic.l. iv. c. 8. § 29. Πρὸς ἄλλον ζῆν—δουλικόν [Καὶ πρὸς ἄλλον μὴ δύνασθαι ζῆν ἀλλ ̓ ἢ πρὸς φίλον· δουλικὸν γάρ,] and in the first of his Rhetorics on the contrary: ἐλευθέρου τὸ μὴ πρὸς ἄλλον ζῆν. [e. ix. § 27.] * Τὸ ζῆν ὡς βούλεταί τις,— τῆς έλευθερίας ἔργον,—εἴπερ τοῦ δούλου ὄντος, τὸ ζῆν μὴ ὡς βούλεται. Aristot. Polit. 1. vi, c. 2. § 3. Quid est enim libertas? potestas vivendi ut velis,' Cic. Parad. [5. § 1.] being made perfect, he is become the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Thus the consideration of the power invested in him, and the necessity of the service due unto him, should force us to obedience; while the consideration of him whom we are thus obliged to serve should allure and invite us. When God gave the Law with fire and thunder, the affrighted Israelites desired to receive it from Moses, and upon that receipt promised obedience. Go thou near Deut. v. 27. (said they to him), and hear all that the Lord our God shall say; and speak thou unto us, and we will hear it and do it. If they interpreted it so great a favour to receive the Law by the hands of Moses; if they made so ready and cheerful a promise of exact obedience unto the Law so given; how should we be invited to the same promise, and a better performance, who have received the whole will of God revealed to us by the Son of man, who are to give an account of our performance to the same man set down at the right hand of the Father? He first took our nature to become our brother, that with so near a relation he might be made our Lord. If then the patriarchs 156 did cheerfully live in the land of Goshen, subject to the power and command of Egypt, because that power was in the hand of Joseph their exalted brother; shall not we with all readiness of mind submit ourselves to the divine dominion now given to him who gave himself for us? Shall all the angels worship him, and all the archangels bow down before him, and shall not we be proud to join with them? Thirdly, The belief of Christ's dominion is necessary for the regulation of all power, authority, and dominion on earth, both in respect of those which rule, and in relation to those that obey. From hence the most absolute monarchs learn, that the people which they rule are not their own, but the subjects of a greater prince, by him committed to their charge. Upon this St Paul doth ground his admonition to masters, Give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing col. iv. 1. that ye also have a master in heaven. God gave a power to the Israelites to make hired servants of their brethren, but not slaves; and gives this reason of the interdiction, For they are Lev. xxv. 42. my servants which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as bondmen. What tenderness then should be used towards those who are the servants of that Lord who redeemed them from a greater bondage, who bought 24. them with a higher price? From hence those which are subject learn to obey the powers which are of human ordination, because in them they obey the Lord of all. Subjects bear the same proportion, and stand in the same relation to their governors, with servants to their masters: and St Paul hath Col. iii, 22 given them this charge, Obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. Neither do we learn from hence only whom, but also how, to obey. For while we look upon one Lord in heaven, while we consider him as the Lord of lords, we regulate our obedience to them by our service due to him, and so are always ready to obey, but in the Lord. Lastly, This title of our Saviour is of necessary belief for our comfort and encouragement. For being Lord of all, he is able to dispose of all things for the benefit of those which serve him. He who commanded the unconstant winds and stilled the raging seas, he who multiplied the loaves and fishes, and created wine with the word of his mouth, hath all creatures now under exact obedience, and therefore none can Rom. x. 12. want whom he undertaketh to provide for. For the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. Many are the enemies of those persons who dedicate themselves unto his service; but our enemies are his, and part of his dominion is therefore given him, and to continue in him until all his enemies be made his footstool. Great is the power of the lusts of our flesh, which war in our members; but his grace is sufficient for us, and the power of that spirit by which he ruleth in us. Heavy are the afflictions which we are called to undergo for his sake: but if we suffer with him, we shall reign together with him and blessed be that dominion which makes us all kings, that he may be for ever Lord of lords, and King of kings. After this explication, every Christian may perceive what he is to believe in this part of the Article, and express himself how he would be understood when he maketh this profession of his faith, I believe in Christ our Lord. For thereby we may and ought to intend thus much: I do assent unto this as a certain and infallible truth, taught me by God himself, that Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, is the true Jehovah, who |